Keely Hodgkinson admitted it felt “a bit weird” to shatter a world record that was established on the very day she entered the world.
The British Olympic champion demolished the indoor 800m mark in Liévin, France, clocking an astonishing 1:54.88 to obliterate the previous best by nearly a full second.
Slovenia’s Jolanda Ceplak had held the record since 3 March 2002 — the exact date of Hodgkinson’s birth.
“It almost felt a bit weird that it was set on the day I was born, and 24 years later I break it,” the 23-year-old said. “But I think there’s still more to push.”
Ceplak’s mark of 1:55.82 had stood unchallenged for more than two decades before Hodgkinson tore through it by 0.88 seconds.
The Briton had signalled her intentions following a preparation run at the British championships the previous week, expressing confidence that the long-standing record was vulnerable.
She delivered emphatically, passing the halfway point in 55.56 seconds and reaching 600m in 1:25.06 before powering home.
Keely Hodgkinson is on top of the world following her latest race win
|GETTY
A high-calibre field trailed in her wake, including Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma, who claimed Olympic silver in Paris, and Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, the reigning European Under-23 champion.
Speaking after her record-breaking run, a breathless Hodgkinson declared: “Thank God! That was really fun.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for a good few weeks.
Keely Hodgkinson crossed the finish line in 1:54.88 in Lievin, France
| GETTY“I was really excited to come here. I felt like it was going to happen today, it was just a matter of how fast I could go.”
She added: “It’s nice to have a world record and to say about something I am the best to ever do it.
“That’s really exciting. And I’ve been working at it for a long time.”
The triumph came after a challenging 2025 campaign blighted by injury.
Hodgkinson had planned to attack the record at her own event, the Keely Klassic in Birmingham, last February but suffered a hamstring problem beforehand.
Further hamstring and back issues followed an eight-hour journey to Windsor Palace to receive her MBE.
Keely Hodgkinson’s attention now turns to the world indoor championships in Torun, Poland, next month, where she will pursue one of the few major titles still missing from her impressive haul.
| GETTYDespite those setbacks, she recovered sufficiently to secure bronze at the world championships in Tokyo last September, though she was clearly not operating at full capacity.
Her medal collection now boasts Olympic gold and silver alongside two silver medals and a bronze from world championships.
The indoor 800m record — now officially termed the short-track record by World Athletics — represents another remarkable achievement for the 23-year-old.
Hodgkinson’s attention now turns to the world indoor championships in Torun, Poland, next month, where she will pursue one of the few major titles still missing from her impressive haul.